NIU's Lynch a finalist for Heisman Trophy

Florida State QB Winston the favorite

December 09, 2013|By Shannon Ryan | Tribune reporter

Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch is considered a Heisman Trophy long shot.

But he's not going to New York to be an also-ran.

"I'm going there to win," he told the Tribune Monday after he was announced as one of six candidates. "I don't like to lose. If I don't win, it'll be a great experience being around the other candidates and past winners."

Florida State QB Jameis Winston is the front-runner. The other finalists are Alabama QB AJ McCarron, Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel, Boston College running back Andre Williams and Auburn RB Tre Mason. The winner will be announced Saturday at a ceremony in New York. Manziel won last year.

Lynch is just the third player from the Mid-American Conference to be named a finalist along with Randy Moss (1997) and Chad Pennington (1999), both from Marshall.

Lynch could make history without winning. Since the BCS was formed in 1998, a non-BCS player has never finished higher than third, when Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan finished third in 2007. The last non-BCS winner to take home the trophy was BYU's Ty Detmer in 1990.

Lynch knew to even be a finalist he would need to record astronomical statistics and lead a team to a near-perfect record. NIU is 12-1.

"I wouldn't be here if we didn't win games," he said. "Your stats have to be ridiculous (to be considered from the MAC)."

Lynch ranks fourth nationally in total offense (351.0 yards per game) and is second in both rushing yards (1,881) and points responsible for (276). He is only the fifth player in NCAA history to have 20 rushing and 20 passing touchdowns in a season, and he twice set the FBS QB single-game rushing mark, most recently with 321 yards vs. Western Michigan.

"This is a great honor for him and it recognizes the great career he has had," NIU coach Rod Carey said in a statement. "It is so well-deserved that he gets to go to New York."